1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a horizontally split flow machine housing and to a method for assembling a flow machine housing of this kind.
2. Description of the Related Art
Horizontally split flow machine housings have at least one top housing part and one bottom housing part which are connected to one another in a horizontal butt joint allowing elements of the flow machine to be arranged in the open housing parts when the top housing part is lifted off. In particular, in flow machines, which are divided in the horizontal plane of a rotor shaft, a rotor of the flow machine can first be inserted into the bottom housing part and the top housing part can then be placed on top. In the present case, such words as “horizontal”, “vertical”, “top”, “bottom” always refer to the final assembly position in which the flow machine is set up.
Generally, a number of stator elements are arranged in the housing parts. In radial compressors with horizontal joints a plurality of stator rings are arranged one behind the other in axial direction in a housing and, together with the rotor blades, define the flow channel for the fluid to be compressed and radially deflect this fluid between two repeater stages.
To insert a rotor of the flow machine, stator elements of the kind mentioned above comprise at least a top stator part and a bottom stator part formed as split stator rings.
To facilitate assembly, the top stator parts are first inserted into the housing part that is rotated around its longitudinal axis by 180° relative to its final assembly position, i.e., is open toward the top, and then rotated together with the latter by 180° into the final assembly position and placed on the correspondingly preassembled bottom housing part, the top stator parts must in all cases be prevented from falling out during their rotation and placement on top of the bottom housing part.
It is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,692,537 and 3,628,884 to secure a top stator part of an axial turbine with a horizontally split housing in a top housing part by means of screws which are screwed into the top stator part from the top and which pull the top stator part against the top housing part.
British Patent GB 542,197 discloses a horizontally split turbine housing in which top stator ring halves are prevented from falling out by brackets that engage in cutouts in the stator ring halves and are screwed to the top housing part by bolts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,150 suggests mounting a top stator part in a pin of the top housing part and supporting it by swiveling an eccentric wedge in the stator part relative to another pin in the top housing part.
In all cases, the screws are subjected to complex tensile and bending loads that make them difficult to design and that complicates assembly and disassembly.